Criteria for Selecting Areas to Identify Ecosystem Services Provided by Geodiversity: A Study on the Coast of São Paulo, Brazil

Debora Silva Queiroz (), Maria da Glória Motta Garcia and Paulo Pereira
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Debora Silva Queiroz: Institute of Geosciences, Centre for Research Support on Geological Heritage and Geotourism (GeoHereditas), University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-080, Brazil
Maria da Glória Motta Garcia: Institute of Geosciences, Centre for Research Support on Geological Heritage and Geotourism (GeoHereditas), University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-080, Brazil
Paulo Pereira: Institute of Earth Sciences, Pole of the University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal

Resources, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Ecosystem services are essential for life. Despite traditionally focusing on biodiversity, several studies have presented the ecosystem services provided by geodiversity. However, the choice of the study area is still a step that raises doubts for the researcher. Several elements of geodiversity must occur in the area so that different ecosystem services can be identified. Thus, the selection of the study area is a crucial step of the research. This work aims to determine the criteria for the selection of potential areas for the identification of ecosystem services by geodiversity in Baixada Santista, central coast of São Paulo, Brazil. The criteria established were (i) characterization of the physical environment based on the geodiversity index map and the watershed map and (ii) description of land use based on the characterization of land use and analysis of territorial planning instruments. As a result, the watershed with high levels of geodiversity and diversity of land uses was selected. The criterion was important, as it is an area already used in soil management and different land uses can provide a variety of ecosystem services. Thus, these criteria proved to be effective in the selection of areas for the evaluation of ecosystem services by geodiversity.

Keywords: ecosystem services; geodiversity; land use; watershed (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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